Page 159 - Courage Redifined

Q. : Karma is a fruit of your efforts (purushartha). Then how
can karma be called independent ?

A. : Though karmas arise due to purushartha, but they function
independently in the accomplishment a task. Just as Kaal
and purushartha work independently, so does karma. You
cannot say that while the task was done, the purushartha
led to a specific karma or the karmas led to a certain kind
of purushartha. The karmas were previously binded and
the soul makes fresh efforts. Both these causes combine
to result in such a task.
Major and minor reasons :

It is possible that in some instances, Kaal plays a major role
while others become unimportant. Somewhere swabhava plays
a major role and the rest have a minor contribution. So all the
5 factors play major or minor roles at different instances.

For e.g. If one soul attains salvation, one soul comes out from
the Nigoda (algae which are one-sensed living organisms). But
which soul will come out ? Only the soul whose bhavitavyata
is powerful. Thus, bhavitavyata plays a prime role here.

Out of the souls which come out, some can attain and enter
the charam pudgala paravarta while some are not fortunate
enough to do so. Those who are abhavya cannot do so.
Swabhava plays a pivotal role as the unfortunate abhavya
soul can never attain salvation and hence, there is no question
of entering the last avarta.

Even for the bhavya souls, this period comes chronologically
and not by increasing efforts or due to any specific karma.
After the previous Kaal passes, only then can the new phase
begin. Here Kaal (time) plays the significant role.
After entering the Charmavarta Kaal (final era), bhavya souls

Harmony of the 5 Causes 149